South African Black Miners Start Strike in Gold and Coal Industries

The first of an estimated 200,000 black miners stopped work tonight in what could become the biggest strike over wages in South African history.

First indications were that the strike was solid. As midnight neared, Cyril Ramaphosa, general secretary of the National Union of Mineworkers, said that all 40,000 nigh-shift workers at 22 gold mines and 30,000 afternoon and night-shift workers at 18 coal mines had heeded the strike call. He said that 130,000 day shift workers at 46 gold and coal mines would not report for work Monday morning.

The giant Anglo American Corporation conceded in a statement late today that the strike ''has been effective in many, but not all'' its mines. All 13 of its gold mines and 9 of its 13 coal mines are affected by the strike.

Spokesmen for other companies said it was too early to assess the extent of the strike.

The strike, which could prove the costliest ever here, is the first major test of strength between the five-year-old National Union of Mineworkers and the Chamber of Mines, an employers' association representing five major mining companies with 73 mines.

The strike also has far-reaching political implications, because its outcome could determine the future role of militant labor unions in fighting the apartheid system and the white-dominated Government.

The only larger work stoppages in South African history have been general strikes for political goals. #30 Percent Rise Sought The union is demanding a 30 percent wage increase for black miners, who take home between $150 andf $250 a month. White miners earn $750 a month or more.

''The strike is aimed at bringing gold production to a halt,'' Mr. Ramaphosa said today.

Earnings from gold account for about 60 percent of South Africa's total foreign earnings and a halt, or even serious disruption, in production could have serious economic consequences, analysts said.

The gold price, which has risen more than $100 an ounce since last August, ended the week at $464 an ounce - $8 an ounce down from the previous week.

The black miners put down their tools amid a wave of other industrial actions and labor unrest.

More than 30,000 workers in the steel manufacturing, oil-from-coal processing, postal, automobile manufacturing and chemical sectors are involved in strikes and other industrial action.

The Pretoria Government legalized black labor unions 10 years ago. South African newspapers reported this week that the Government was considering tougher laws to restrict industrial action, particularly for what the Government considers political purposes. Political Role for Labor

Anti-apartheid leaders said that as long as blacks were denied political rights, they had no option but to use trade unions to articulate political demands.

The five-year-old, 260,000-member National Union of Mineworkers was instrumental in forming the 712,000-member Congress of South African Trade Unions, the country's largest labor federation, in 1985.

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After an industrial conciliation board failed to settle the mining dispute last month, the Chamber of Mines unilaterally put into effect wage increases ranging between 15 and 23 percent, which, it says, are fair.

The Chamber reacted to the union's strike call this week by insisting that it had ''no intention of awarding a further increase.''

Tonight Mr. Ramaphosa said the strike would continue until the Chamber met the 30 percent wage demand. Affected Mining Companies

The affected employers include Anglo American, the General Mining Corporation, Gold Fields of South Africa, Rand Mines and the Anglo American-controlled Johannesburg Consolidated Investments.

Mr. Ramaphosa said that strike votes would be held in the platinum, chrome, uranium and diamond mining industries before the end of the week, a move that could raise the number of workers on strike to 300,000.

After the employers refused to give firm pledges that neither the government security forces nor mine security guards would be used against strikers, Mr. Ramaphosa vowed to escalate the mine strike into a general strike if the state directly intervened or if any miner was killed or injured.

Four miners at Anglo Vaal's Lorraine gold mine in the Orange Free State province died last week in clashes with mine security officials after what the mine management described as an ''illegal strike.'' [ Anglo Vaal, which does not recognize the union, reported that its security men fired rubber bullets to disperse an ''unruly mob'' at the Lorraine mine, and one miner suffered minor injuries when he was hit in the legs, the Associated Press reported from Johannesburg. ] At least five workers were detained by mine security guards at Klerksdorp, southwest of Johannesburg, tonight and roadblocks were set up at several mines west of the city.

The union accused the employers of ''dirty tricks'' after bogus pamphlets were distributed at several mines declaring in the name of the union that the strike had been called off.

Other demands in the dispute include danger pay, death benefits, leave and a paid holiday on June 16 to mark the anniversary of the 1976 Soweto uprising. Views on Strike's Effect

Analysts and stockbrokers were divided about how much disruption a miners' strike would cause.

One analysts said that if the miners' union succeeded in getting 200,000 of its members to strike initially and increased the numbers to 300,000 by the end of the week, it could cut production in half once stockpiles were exhausted and cost the industry $7.5 million a day. Other estimates were more modest. Accurate statistics on stockpiles held by individual companies remain a closely guarded secret but it is believed that some mines have stockpiled the equivalent of a month's gold and coal production in a bid to soften the impact of the strike.

Some analysts are skeptical that the miners' union can sustain a lengthy strike in a depressed economy with massive unemployment among blacks.

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A version of this article appears in print on August 10, 1987, on Page A00001 of the National edition with the headline: South African Black Miners Start Strike in Gold and Coal Industries. Order Reprints|Today's Paper|Subscribe